Chapter 6
six
. . .
It’s been two weeks since our first date and Andy has driven me home from every shift I’ve worked.
I think Betty has everything to do with the fact that we’ve either worked the same shifts or at completely different times, so Andy can still drive me.
He promised me he doesn’t mind and will gladly take any excuse to be next to me.
It’s Saturday night, and he’s driving me home when he says, “Can I ask you something?”
“Anything you want.” Curse my mouth being faster than my brain.
It feels like everything I say to Andy lately is suggestive.
All I think about is his body and his hands on mine.
We’ve kissed a lot these past two weeks, but nothing else.
His hands never deviate from my waist or my face.
I don’t know how to tell him I want more.
Before I can finish my thought, he asks, “Are you going to your prom?”
“Um, yes.” I answer quickly, though the question came out of nowhere. I haven’t brought up prom to him. I try not to talk about high school too much. I mean, he’s 21, I’m sure he doesn’t want to listen to my petty high school shit.
“Do you have a date?” He never takes his eyes off the road and his face is void of expression, but his grip tightens on the wheel, which I've never seen him do before.
“No, we’re going as a group. Some people have dates but a few of us don’t.” I’m sitting on my hands now, wondering where the hell he’s going with this. Of course I don’t have a date. I’m dating him, aren’t I?
We arrive at my house. Because of course we do. This drive is so damn short.
He puts the truck in park and turns towards me. “If it’s not too late, I’d really like to take you to your prom, Lainey. I know this isn’t a fancy way of asking or anything, but a boyfriend should take his girlfriend to prom, right? And I want to take you.” His face is still blank.
“Your girlf... boyfr… you want…prom?” A chocking sound comes out of me and I look everywhere but at him. He unbuckles his seatbelt, then mine. He takes my sweaty hands in his.
“Yes. Girlfriend. Boyfriend. Prom.” He’s smiling, like my little freak out amuses him. He kisses my knuckles, looking at me with such warmth it takes all my words away. “Lainey?”
I clear my throat. For some reason I have to blink back tears.
Why do I feel like crying?
“Andy, I… You don’t have to. I’m sure you already went to prom once, you shouldn’t have to do it twice. Really…”
“Actually, I never went to my prom. And Lainey, I know I don’t have to do anything I don’t want to do.
Is it really so hard for you to believe I want to be with you?
All the time? Is it so hard for you to believe I want to see you all dressed up?
That I want to slow dance with you and hold you?
Because I want to do all of that, Lainey. With you. Only with you.”
Annnnnd now I am crying. “How do you do that? You say all these amazing things and make me feel ways I've never felt. I don’t know what to do with it all sometimes.”
He wipes away my tears with his thumbs and when another escapes, he kisses it away. He doesn’t respond to me. Not with words. He just kisses my cheeks and looks at me in a way that makes me feel treasured. Adored.
I stop crying and look at his eyes. “I have a question for you, too.”
He just nods, those amber eyes roaming over my face like he’s reading every micro expression, learning every detail.
“Why did you start calling me Lainey? You never call me Elaina anymore.”
Andy pauses, looks into my eyes and smiles. “Elaina is a beautiful name, but it’s so serious. Formal. Lainey just feels more like the sweet, bubbly person I see you as. I heard your dad use the nickname and it just suited you so perfectly.”
“Yes.” I say, a little too loudly.
“Yes, what, Lainey?” He cocks his head to the side, faking confusion. I know he wants to hear me say it.
“Yes. Girlfriend. Boyfriend. Prom.”
We both start laughing, and before I know it, his lips are on mine. We kiss for so long my lips start to feel numb. And I still want more of it. Of him. It all feels just so good. So right.
As always, Andy ends the kiss slowly, kisses me on the tip of my nose and walks me to my door.
“Goodnight, my sweet girl.”